We sat down to chat with artist Dannyboy, the cartoonist behind Cardinky, to learn about how he became an artist, what inspires him and how he stays creative…
What’s your background and how did you become an artist?
For as long as I can remember, I have always loved drawing and went on to study Fine Art and University, before later gaining a PGCE (Post 16) in Art & Design.
How would you describe your own work?
Organic hand drawn cartoons with a dash of humour.
Who are your biggest influences?
Sempé, Pont, Quentin Blake, Jean Julien, Charles Schulz.
Where do you seek inspiration?
Most of my inspiration is found by observing people and dogs, as well as watching old cartoons and ready old comic books.
What keeps you creative?
I don’t really think anything keeps me going, I just feel an urge to create things.
What do you do if you find yourself stuck in a creative rut?
Have another coffee, preferably with a slice of cake, or better still Tiramisu.
Talk us through your creative process
I keep a little notebook to hand and use it to scribble down ideas, and to record anecdotes or ideas that I think might work for a cartoon. I then develop the ideas by drawing and drawing again until I have an image that I’m happy with. Sometimes it happens quite quickly, but often it takes many attempts to find what I’m after.
What memorable responses have you had about your work?
When I exhibited at various trade events, it was lovely to see customers laughing at my cartoons.
What’s the one piece of equipment in your kit you couldn’t live without?
Felt tip pen
If you could give a piece of advice to your younger self – what would it be?
Don’t sweat the mistakes. They help you learn.
Explore Moments from Cardinky by downloading the Momentful app today on iOS and Android.
